Supporters of the Ahmed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee and their counterparts from the Ali Modu Sheriff group on Thursday clashed at the party headquarters.
The incident occurred at about 1:04pm.
Trouble began when Sheriff’s supporters tried to dislodge Makarfi’s supporters from the main entrance of Wadata Plaza, the complex housing the party secretariat.
Armed with sticks and clubs, the rival groups defied the rains to continue their supremacy tussle.
A verbal exchange between the two groups soon degenerated into fisticuffs and an exchange of missiles. In the end, one person was left with a deep cut on his forehead as pro-Makarfi protesters held their ground.
Makarfi’s supporters were the first to arrive at the secretariat as early as about 6:30am singing and drumming, while their rivals arrived shortly after at about 7:12am.
The two groups were accompanied by drummers who sang songs in favour of their benefactors.
Thursday’s occupation of the main entrance of the party secretariat was sequel to a meeting held by the party’s Board of Trustees with governors and the Makarfi-led Caretaker Committee.
Shortly after the meeting, the governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose said the party was disturbed by undue interference in its internal affairs by the government and security agents.
While admitting that he was among the governors who initially convinced Sheriff to take the job, he however bowed to superior arguments when he discovered that Sheriff had a different agenda.
He said, ” Rising from the meeting, we must put it in the public domain that the PDP, whatever we are going through today is a phase and very soon, the whole issue will be over.
“But we need to put it very clearly that Nigeria as a country needs an opposition party to make the average Nigerian get the value for their votes. And any attempt to destroy that opposition in Nigeria is not going to be in the interest of democracy.
“We stand as a party to condemned interference, scuttle and strategic effort to destroy PDP in Nigeria.”
Fayose said the PDP is ready to give credible opposition to government in power, which according to him has so far failed to achieve anything in its one year in power.
